Travel news: Musselfest, silent travelling and autumn trips

By: Editorial Office | Source: press material

Today is Monday, which usually means travel news here at FREEDOMtravel. Note! Are you seeing the page in English but want to read in Swedish? We write in Swedish and if you accidentally get the page in English – switch back to Swedish in the language selector at the bottom of the page!

New ferry line Karlshamn – Gdańsk

The new ferry line between Karlshamn and Gdańsk has now been officially inaugurated on the Swedish side as well. The line, which began operating on July 6, creates a new direct connection between southern Sweden and northern Poland.

The crossing takes approximately 13 hours, meaning that travelers can board in the evening and arrive on the other side of the Baltic Sea the following morning. The route is served by the ferries Scania and Copernicus and is adapted for car travelers, families and cyclists, as well as for freight traffic. The new line complements POLSCA Baltic Ferries' other connections between Poland and Sweden.

Musselfest at the Gothenburg Festival

When the long tables return to Avenyn during the Göteborg Festival, it will be in a new version, with Bohuslän mussels. ”The hope is that this can become a new tradition for the Göteborg Festival,” says Anna Mjörnvik, project manager.

The mussels come from farms in the fjords around Orust. The Bohuslän blue mussel has had the EU's protected designation of origin since 2023, the same type of protection as Kalix salmon roe, champagne and parmesan.  

Mussels are served continuously during all days of the Göteborgskalaset and there is room for about 200 people at the long tables at a time. The Göteborgskalaset is arranged 27–30 August. The full program is available at goteborgskalaset.se.

Foreign tourists discover smaller Swedish towns”

Interest in Sweden as a travel destination continues to grow. According to new statistics from Airbnb, searches for Swedish travel destinations from key international markets increased by 19 percent in the summer of 2026 compared to last year. The increase was particularly large among Finnish travelers, by 42 percent, while searches from Switzerland increased by 28 percent. At the same time, Germany remains one of the most important markets for Sweden.

Stockholm and Gothenburg are still the most popular Swedish destinations among foreign Airbnb travelers, but smaller towns are also attracting increasing interest. Trollhättan, Strömsund and Hudiksvall is among the fastest growing destinations, with searches for Trollhättan and Strömsund increasing by just over 40 percent in the second quarter of this year. Airbnb is also seeing increased interest in lakeside accommodations, camping and country cottages.

Climate influences holiday choices: coolcation and silent travelling

More and more Europeans are taking the climate into account when choosing their holiday destinations. According to a survey by European Travel Commission More than three out of four people say that climate-related factors influence their travel habits, while over half prefer lesser-known destinations or places off the beaten path. This is evident in the trend, among other things coolcation, where travelers seek cooler destinations – such as Norway – instead of destinations with high summer heat.

At the same time, Havila Voyages sees an increased interest in what it calls silent traveling, where a peaceful and quiet journey through nature becomes part of the experience. The company's ships operate the Norwegian coastal route between Bergen and Kirkenes and can operate for up to four hours on battery power alone, which reduces both direct emissions and engine noise. Along the route, 34 ports are visited and, depending on the season, travelers can experience fjords, the midnight sun, the northern lights and snow-capped mountains, among other things.

Late summer's most booked travel destinations

Several popular destinations in southern Europe are still experiencing summer heat well into September. Late summer often offers pleasant temperatures, warm seas and a slower pace than during the high season. According to travel agency Ticket, late summer is also one of the most affordable times of the year to travel. Top 10 – Most booked destinations in August and September:

1. Malaga
2. Alicante
3. Majorca
4. London
5. Crete
6. Barcelona
7. Rhodes
8. Split
9. Gdansk
10. Nice  

Price drop on travel after the start of the school year

When school starts, the situation changes for those who want to travel abroad. In many popular destinations, prices can be up to 45 percent lower after school starts than during the high season, Ticket reports.

If you have the opportunity to travel outside of school holidays, there are currently plenty of affordable trips to several classic sun destinations. For example, there are currently many charter trips to Cyprus, Greece and Turkey for under 4,000 SEK per person, including flights and hotel for a week.

Rush after Christmas holidays

As the summer holidays draw to a close, Swedes are starting to look towards their next trip. In recent weeks, TUI has seen an increasing number of people booking winter trips, with a particularly strong interest in trips over the Christmas holidays. Top 5: Most booked destinations at TUI for the winter season:

1. Gran Canaria, Spain
2. Thailand
3. Tenerife, Spain
4. Cyprus
5. Fuerteventura, Spain

A Sifo survey conducted on behalf of TUI shows that 35 percent of Swedes use travel as an escape from everyday life. Around one in six want to get away from the monotony of everyday life and almost as many travel to escape bad weather. Around one in seven want a break from the stress of everyday life.

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